The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 24, 2016
National
Convention Center
Hanoi, Vietnam
12:11 P.M. ICT
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Xin chào! (Applause.) Xin
chào Vietnam! (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you so much. To the government and
the people of Vietnam, thank you for this very warm welcome and the hospitality
that you have shown to me on this visit. And thank all of you for being here
today. (Applause.) We have Vietnamese from across this great country, including
so many young people who represent the dynamism, and the talent and the hope of
Vietnam.
On this visit, my heart has been touched
by the kindness for which the Vietnamese people are known. In the many people
who have been lining the streets, smiling and waving, I feel the friendship
between our peoples. Last night, I visited the Old Quarter here in Hanoi and
enjoyed some outstanding Vietnamese food. I tried some Bún Chả. (Applause.)
Drank some bia Ha Noi. But I have to say, the busy streets of this city, I’ve
never seen so many motorbikes in my life. (Laughter.) So I haven’t had to try
to cross the street so far, but maybe when I come back and visit you can tell
me how.
I am not the first American President to
come to Vietnam in recent times. But I am the first, like so many of you, who
came of age after the war between our countries. When the last U.S. forces left
Vietnam, I was just 13 years old. So my first exposure to Vietnam and the
Vietnamese people came when I was growing up in Hawaii, with its proud
Vietnamese American community there.
At the same time, many people in this
country are much younger than me. Like my two daughters, many of you have lived
your whole lives knowing only one thing -- and that is peace and normalized
relations between Vietnam and the United States. So I come here mindful of the
past, mindful of our difficult history, but focused on the future -- the
prosperity, security and human dignity that we can advance together.
I also come here with a deep respect for
Vietnam’s ancient heritage. For millennia, farmers have tended these lands -- a
history revealed in the Dong Son drums. At this bend in the river, Hanoi has
endured for more than a thousand years. The world came to treasure Vietnamese
silks and paintings, and a great Temple of Literature stands as a testament to
your pursuit of knowledge. And yet, over the centuries, your fate was too often
dictated by others. Your beloved land was not always your own. But like bamboo,
the unbroken spirit of the Vietnamese people was captured by Ly Thuong Kiet --
“the Southern emperor rules the Southern land. Our destiny is writ in Heaven’s
Book.”
Today, we also remember the longer history
between Vietnamese and Americans that is too often overlooked. More than 200
years ago, when our Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson, sought rice for his
farm, he looked to the rice of Vietnam, which he said had “the reputation of
being whitest to the eye, best flavored to the taste, and most productive.”
Soon after, American trade ships arrived in your ports seeking commerce.
During the Second World War, Americans
came here to support your struggle against occupation. When American pilots
were shot down, the Vietnamese people helped rescue them. And on the day that
Vietnam declared its independence, crowds took to the streets of this city, and
Ho Chi Minh evoked the American Declaration of Independence. He said, “All
people are created equal. The Creator has endowed them with inviolable rights.
Among these rights are the right to life, the right to liberty, and the right
to the pursuit of happiness.”
In another time, the profession of these
shared ideals and our common story of throwing off colonialism might have brought
us closer together sooner. But instead, Cold War rivalries and fears of
communism pulled us into conflict. Like other conflicts throughout human
history, we learned once more a bitter truth -- that war, no matter what our
intentions may be, brings suffering and tragedy.
At your war memorial not far from here,
and with family altars across this country, you remember some 3 million
Vietnamese, soldiers and civilians, on both sides, who lost their lives. At our
memorial wall in Washington, we can touch the names of 58,315 Americans who
gave their lives in the conflict. In both our countries, our veterans and
families of the fallen still ache for the friends and loved ones that they
lost. Just as we learned in America that, even if we disagree about a war, we
must always honor those who serve and welcome them home with the respect they
deserve, we can join together today, Vietnamese and Americans, and acknowledge
the pain and the sacrifices on both sides.
More recently, over the past two decades,
Vietnam has achieved enormous progress, and today the world can see the strides
that you have made. With economic reforms and trade agreements, including with
the United States, you have entered the global economy, selling your goods
around the world. More foreign investment is coming in. And with one of the
fastest-growing economies in Asia, Vietnam has moved up to become a
middle-income nation.
We see Vietnam’s progress in the
skyscrapers and high-rises of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and new shopping
malls and urban centers. We see it in the satellites Vietnam puts into space
and a new generation that is online, launching startups and running new
ventures. We see it in the tens of millions of Vietnamese connected on Facebook
and Instagram. And you’re not just posting selfies -- although I hear you do
that a lot -- (laughter) -- and so far, there have been a number of people who
have already asked me for selfies. You’re also raising your voices for causes
that you care about, like saving the old trees of Hanoi.
So all this dynamism has delivered real
progress in people’s lives. Here in Vietnam, you’ve dramatically reduced
extreme poverty, you've boosted family incomes and lifted millions into a
fast-growing middle class. Hunger, disease, child and maternal mortality are
all down. The number of people with clean drinking water and electricity, the
number of boys and girls in school, and your literacy rate -- these are all up.
This is extraordinary progress. This is what you have been able to achieve in a
very short time.
And as Vietnam has transformed, so has the
relationship between our two nations. We learned a lesson taught by the
venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, who said, “In true dialogue, both sides are willing
to change.” In this way, the very war that had divided us became a source for
healing. It allowed us to account for the missing and finally bring them home.
It allowed us to help remove landmines and unexploded bombs, because no child
should ever lose a leg just playing outside. Even as we continue to assist Vietnamese
with disabilities, including children, we are also continuing to help remove
Agent Orange -- dioxin -- so that Vietnam can reclaim more of your land. We're
proud of our work together in Danang, and we look forward to supporting your
efforts in Bien Hoa.
Let’s also not forget that the
reconciliation between our countries was led by our veterans who once faced
each other in battle. Think of Senator John McCain, who was held for years here
as a prisoner of war, meeting General Giap, who said our countries should not
be enemies but friends. Think of all the veterans, Vietnamese and American, who
have helped us heal and build new ties. Few have done more in this regard over
the years than former Navy lieutenant, and now Secretary of State of the United
States, John Kerry, who is here today. And on behalf of all of us, John, we
thank you for your extraordinary effort. (Applause.)
Because our veterans showed us the way,
because warriors had the courage to pursue peace, our peoples are now closer
than ever before. Our trade has surged. Our students and scholars learn
together. We welcome more Vietnamese students to America than from any other
country in Southeast Asia. And every year, you welcome more and more American
tourists, including young Americans with their backpacks, to Hanoi’s 36 Streets
and the shops of Hoi An, and the imperial city of Hue. As Vietnamese and
Americans, we can all relate to those words written by Van Cao -- “From now, we
know each other’s homeland; from now, we learn to feel for each other.”
As President, I’ve built on this progress.
With our new Comprehensive Partnership, our governments are working more
closely together than ever before. And with this visit, we’ve put our
relationship on a firmer footing for decades to come. In a sense, the long
story between our two nations that began with Thomas Jefferson more than two
centuries ago has now come full circle. It has taken many years and required
great effort. But now we can say something that was once unimaginable: Today,
Vietnam and the United States are partners.
And I believe our experience holds lessons
for the world. At a time when many conflicts seem intractable, seem as if they
will never end, we have shown that hearts can change and that a different
future is possible when we refuse to be prisoners of the past. We've shown how
peace can be better than war. We've shown that progress and human dignity is
best advanced by cooperation and not conflict. That’s what Vietnam and America
can show the world.
Now, America’s new partnership with
Vietnam is rooted in some basic truths. Vietnam is an independent, sovereign
nation, and no other nation can impose its will on you or decide your destiny.
(Applause.) Now, the United States has an interest here. We have an interest in
Vietnam’s success. But our Comprehensive Partnership is still in its early
stages. And with the time I have left, I want to share with you the vision that
I believe can guide us in the decades ahead.
First, let’s work together to create real
opportunity and prosperity for all of our people. We know the ingredients for
economic success in the 21st century. In our global economy, investment and
trade flows to wherever there is rule of law, because no one wants to pay a
bribe to start a business. Nobody wants to sell their goods or go to school if
they don’t know how they're going to be treated. In knowledge-based economies,
jobs go to where people have the freedom to think for themselves and exchange
ideas and to innovate. And real economic partnerships are not just about one
country extracting resources from another. They’re about investing in our
greatest resource, which is our people and their skills and their talents,
whether you live in a big city or a rural village. And that’s the kind of
partnership that America offers.
As I announced yesterday, the Peace Corps
will come to Vietnam for the first time, with a focus on teaching English. A
generation after young Americans came here to fight, a new generation of
Americans are going to come here to teach and build and deepen the friendship
between us. (Applause.) Some of America’s leading technology companies and
academic institutions are joining Vietnamese universities to strengthen
training in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine.
Because even as we keep welcoming more Vietnamese students to America, we also
believe that young people deserve a world-class education right here in
Vietnam.
It's one of the reasons why we're very
excited that this fall, the new Fulbright University Vietnam will open in Ho Chi
Minh City -- this nation’s first independent, non-profit university -- where
there will be full academic freedom and scholarships for those in need.
(Applause.) Students, scholars, researchers will focus on public policy and
management and business; on engineering and computer science; and liberal arts
-- everything from the poetry of Nguyen Du, to the philosophy of Phan Chu
Trinh, to the mathematics of Ngo Bao Chau.
And we're going to keep partnering with
young people and entrepreneurs, because we believe that if you can just access
the skills and technology and capital you need, then nothing can stand in your
way -- and that includes, by the way, the talented women of Vietnam.
(Applause.) We think gender equality is an important principle. From the Trung
Sisters to today, strong, confident women have always helped move Vietnam
forward. The evidence is clear -- I say this wherever I go around the world --
families, communities and countries are more prosperous when girls and women
have an equal opportunity to succeed in school and at work and in government.
That's true everywhere, and it's true here in Vietnam. (Applause.)
We’ll keep working to unleash the full
potential of your economy with the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Here in Vietnam,
TPP will let you sell more of your products to the world and it will attract
new investment. TPP will require reforms to protect workers and rule of law and
intellectual property. And the United States is ready to assist Vietnam as it
works to fully implement its commitments. I want you to know that, as President
of the United States, I strongly support TPP because you'll also be able to buy
more of our goods, “Made in America.”
Moreover, I support TPP because of its
important strategic benefits. Vietnam will be less dependent on any one trading
partner and enjoy broader ties with more partners, including the United States.
(Applause.) And TPP will reinforce regional cooperation. It will help address
economic inequality and will advance human rights, with higher wages and safer
working conditions. For the first time here in Vietnam, the right to form
independent labor unions and prohibitions against forced labor and child labor.
And it has the strongest environmental protections and the strongest
anti-corruption standards of any trade agreement in history. That’s the future
TPP offers for all of us, because all of us -- the United States, Vietnam, and
the other signatories -- will have to abide by these rules that we have shaped
together. That's the future that is available to all of us. So we now have to
get it done -- for the sake of our economic prosperity and our national
security.
This brings me to the second area where we
can work together, and that is ensuring our mutual security. With this visit,
we have agreed to elevate our security cooperation and build more trust between
our men and women in uniform. We’ll continue to offer training and equipment to
your Coast Guard to enhance Vietnam’s maritime capabilities. We will partner to
deliver humanitarian aid in times of disaster. With the announcement I made
yesterday to fully lift the ban on defense sales, Vietnam will have greater
access to the military equipment you need to ensure your security. And the
United States is demonstrating our commitment to fully normalize our relationship
with Vietnam. (Applause.)
More broadly, the 20th century has taught
all of us -- including the United States and Vietnam -- that the international
order upon which our mutual security depends is rooted in certain rules and
norms. Nations are sovereign, and no matter how large or small a nation may be,
its sovereignty should be respected, and it territory should not be violated.
Big nations should not bully smaller ones. Disputes should be resolved
peacefully. (Applause.) And regional institutions, like ASEAN and the East Asia
Summit, should continue to be strengthened. That’s what I believe. That's what
the United States believes. That’s the kind of partnership America offers this
region. I look forward to advancing this spirit of respect and reconciliation
later this year when I become the first U.S. President to visit Laos.
In the South China Sea, the United States
is not a claimant in current disputes. But we will stand with partners in
upholding core principles, like freedom of navigation and overflight, and
lawful commerce that is not impeded, and the peaceful resolution of disputes,
through legal means, in accordance with international law. As we go forward,
the United States will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international
law allows, and we will support the right of all countries to do the same.
(Applause.)
Even as we cooperate more closely in the
areas I’ve described, our partnership includes a third element -- addressing
areas where our governments disagree, including on human rights. I say this not
to single out Vietnam. No nation is perfect. Two centuries on, the United
States is still striving to live up to our founding ideals. We still deal with
our shortcomings -- too much money in our politics, and rising economic inequality,
racial bias in our criminal justice system, women still not being paid as much
as men doing the same job. We still have problems. And we're not immune from
criticism, I promise you. I hear it every day. But that scrutiny, that open
debate, confronting our imperfections, and allowing everybody to have their say
has helped us grow stronger and more prosperous and more just.
I’ve said this before -- the United States
does not seek to impose our form of government on Vietnam. The rights I speak
of I believe are not American values; I think they're universal values written
into the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They're written into the
Vietnamese constitution, which states that “citizens have the right to freedom
of speech and freedom of the press, and have the right of access to
information, the right to assembly, the right to association, and the right to
demonstrate.” That’s in the Vietnamese constitution. (Applause.) So really,
this is an issue about all of us, each country, trying to consistently apply
these principles, making sure that we -- those of us in government -- are being
true to these ideals.
In recent years, Vietnam has made some
progress. Vietnam has committed to bringing its laws in line with its new
constitution and with international norms. Under recently passed laws, the
government will disclose more of its budget and the public will have the right
to access more information. And, as I said, Vietnam has committed to economic
and labor reforms under the TPP. So these are all positive steps. And
ultimately, the future of Vietnam will be decided by the people of Vietnam.
Every country will chart its own path, and our two nations have different
traditions and different political systems and different cultures. But as a
friend of Vietnam, allow me to share my view -- why I believe nations are more
successful when universal rights are upheld.
When there is freedom of expression and
freedom of speech, and when people can share ideas and access the Internet and
social media without restriction, that fuels the innovation economies need to
thrive. That's where new ideas happen. That's how a Facebook starts. That's how
some of our greatest companies began -- because somebody had a new idea. It was
different. And they were able to share it. When there’s freedom of the press --
when journalists and bloggers are able to shine a light on injustice or abuse
-- that holds officials accountable and builds public confidence that the
system works. When candidates can run for office and campaign freely, and
voters can choose their own leaders in free and fair elections, it makes the
countries more stable, because citizens know that their voices count and that
peaceful change is possible. And it brings new people into the system.
When there is freedom of religion, it not
only allows people to fully express the love and compassion that are at the
heart of all great religions, but it allows faith groups to serve their
communities through schools and hospitals, and care for the poor and the
vulnerable. And when there is freedom of assembly -- when citizens are free to
organize in civil society -- then countries can better address challenges that
government sometimes cannot solve by itself. So it is my view that upholding
these rights is not a threat to stability, but actually reinforces stability
and is the foundation of progress.
After all, it was a yearning for these
rights that inspired people around the world, including Vietnam, to throw off
colonialism. And I believe that upholding these rights is the fullest
expression of the independence that so many cherish, including here, in a
nation that proclaims itself to be “of the People, by the People and for the
People.”
Vietnam will do it differently than the
United States does. And each of us will do it differently from many other
countries around the world. But there are these basic principles that I think
we all have to try to work on and improve. And I said this as somebody who's
about to leave office, so I have the benefit of almost eight years now of reflecting
on how our system has worked and interacting with countries around the world
who are constantly trying to improve their systems, as well.
Finally, our partnership I think can meet
global challenges that no nation can solve by itself. If we’re going to ensure
the health of our people and the beauty of our planet, then development has to
be sustainable. Natural wonders like Ha Long Bay and Son Doong Cave have to be
preserved for our children and our grandchildren. Rising seas threaten the
coasts and waterways on which so many Vietnamese depend. And so as partners in
the fight against climate change, we need to fulfill the commitments we made in
Paris, we need to help farmers and villages and people who depend on fishing to
adapt and to bring more clean energy to places like the Mekong Delta -- a rice
bowl of the world that we need to feed future generations.
And we can save lives beyond our borders.
By helping other countries strengthen, for example, their health systems, we
can prevent outbreaks of disease from becoming epidemics that threaten all of
us. And as Vietnam deepens its commitment to U.N. peacekeeping, the United
States is proud to help train your peacekeepers. And what a truly remarkable
thing that is -- our two nations that once fought each other now standing
together and helping others achieve peace, as well. So in addition to our
bilateral relationship, our partnership also allows us to help shape the
international environment in ways that are positive.
Now, fully realizing the vision that I’ve
described today is not going to happen overnight, and it is not inevitable.
There may be stumbles and setbacks along the way. There are going to be times
where there are misunderstandings. It will take sustained effort and true
dialogue where both sides continue to change. But considering all the history
and hurdles that we've already overcome, I stand before you today very
optimistic about our future together. (Applause.) And my confidence is rooted,
as always, in the friendship and shared aspirations of our peoples.
I think of all the Americans and
Vietnamese who have crossed a wide ocean -- some reuniting with families for
the first time in decades -- and who, like Trinh Cong Son said in his song,
have joined hands, and opening their hearts and seeing our common humanity in
each other. (Applause.)
I think of all the Vietnamese Americans
who have succeeded in every walk of life -- doctors, journalists, judges,
public servants. One of them, who was born here, wrote me a letter and said, by
“God’s grace, I have been able to live the American Dream…I'm very proud to be
an American but also very proud to be Vietnamese.” (Applause.) And today he’s
here, back in the country of his birth, because, he said, his “personal
passion” is “improving the life of every Vietnamese person.”
I think of a new generation of Vietnamese
-- so many of you, so many of the young people who are here -- who are ready to
make your mark on the world. And I want to say to all the young people
listening: Your talent, your drive, your dreams -- in those things, Vietnam has
everything it needs to thrive. Your destiny is in your hands. This is your
moment. And as you pursue the future that you want, I want you to know that the
United States of America will be right there with you as your partner and as
your friend. (Applause.)
And many years from now, when even more
Vietnamese and Americans are studying with each other; innovating and doing
business with each other; standing up for our security, and promoting human
rights and protecting our planet with each other -- I hope you think back to
this moment and draw hope from the vision that I’ve offered today. Or, if I can
say it another way -- in words that you know well from the Tale of Kieu --
“Please take from me this token of trust, so we can embark upon our 100-year
journey together.” (Applause.)
Cam on cac ban. Thank you very much. Thank
you, Vietnam. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
